A Stenciled Drum Shade Changed the Look of My Ceiling Fan

I wanted a different look for the ceiling fan without replacing it. A Better Homes & Gardens drum lampshade from Walmart, bought for about $10 at the time, became the starting point.

Stencil the fabric shade

I liked the shade’s color, texture, and trim, but wanted to personalize it with stenciling and embellishments.

The original mounting experiment

In this project, I added picture-hanging wire at the center of the lampshade and hung it from the screws where the fan’s light shades had been. That records the improvised method I used; the post does not establish that the mounting or shade was approved for the fan.

For a change to a fan light, follow the fan’s model-specific manual and compatible-component requirements. Hunter’s installation guide, for example, supplements rather than replaces the manual for the particular model.

Buttons picked up the room’s colors

I placed a different-colored button in the center of each flower to tie the shade to the room.

The photographs also show that the shade was off-center. I still needed to adjust its position when I took them.

I had tried the same idea using a floor-lamp shade in Alex’s bedroom makeover. For a separate shade-decorating project, see my fall leaves and twine lampshade.